GEORGETOWN, Guyana – September 16, 2026 – Speaking at a commemorative session marking the 57th founding anniversary of Guyana’s National Insurance Scheme (NIS) at Herdmanston Lodge on Wednesday, Finance Minister Dr. Ashni Singh has called for an urgent overhaul of customer service standards at the country’s primary social security agency, demanding an end to the longstanding practice of redirecting members of the public between branches and ignoring pending queries.
Founded in 1969, just three years after Guyana secured full independence from British colonial rule, the NIS has long served as the backbone of the country’s social safety net for retirees and benefit claimants. Dr. Singh opened his address by honoring the vision of the agency’s original architects, but pulled no punches in criticizing remaining gaps in frontline service delivery. “This kind of conduct is simply unacceptable: being rude, uncooperative, or unhelpful, pushing people from pillar to post and telling them ‘we cannot locate your records, come back next week,’” he told attendees.
Dr. Singh urged NIS employees to put themselves in the shoes of the pensioners and benefit claimants who rely on the agency for critical financial support. He noted that while NIS General Manager Holly Greaves has already made significant progress in addressing customer service complaints, the small share of poor experiences that persist have no place in a well-functioning public service. “It is true that complaints of this nature have dropped dramatically in recent months, but they have not been rooted out entirely. That end goal is what we must work toward,” he emphasized.
The Finance Minister was careful to balance criticism with praise for the agency’s overall performance, confirming that more than 60,000 NIS pensioners currently receive their monthly benefit payments on schedule. Even so, he acknowledged that a small minority of claimants still face delays, stressing that their frustration is entirely justified. “We cannot fault people for being upset when they do not receive the benefits they have paid into and are entitled to on time,” he said. “The public is right to expect reliable, consistent service from this institution.”
Per a directive from President Irfaan Ali, Dr. Singh told NIS leadership and staff that all members of the public approaching the agency deserve sensitive, caring, and compassionate interaction. “I publicly recognize and congratulate the entire NIS team for the major strides that have already been made to improve service delivery. But that progress does not mean we can stop working – we must keep pushing until all bad service experiences are eliminated,” he added.
Beyond frontline customer service, Dr. Singh also outlined three key procedural improvements the NIS must prioritize. First, he urged all NIS contributors to proactively review their contribution records regularly, rather than waiting until they approach retirement age, when former employers may have ceased operations and historical records can no longer be verified. Second, he reminded all Guyanese employers of their legal obligation to maintain accurate contribution records for their workers, a requirement that avoids triggering costly investigations and potential prosecution for non-compliance. Finally, he reaffirmed the NIS’s ongoing responsibility to provide employers with annual end-of-year statements clearly detailing all employees for whom contributions have been submitted, as well as the total value of contributions paid.